Should you punish your dog?

Should you punish your dog for doing something stupid? What kind of stupidity should we punish him for? For what kind of stupidity can the rebuke be avoided? What is a good punishment? When to give it and how? What not to do? What do we have to do ?

Are you also asking yourself these questions? In fact, they are quite common among new adopters. It is quite normal to want to understand how to impose your authority and be respected, while being loved by your animal.

Why punish your dog?

To the question: should you punish your dog? The answer is yes”. When he does something stupid, you have to punish him, even if it melts your heart.

The reason is simple: Punishment is part of your dog’s education. It is by reprimand that you give him your instructions, that is, what he is allowed to do or not. It is therefore also through her that you will be able to establish the rules and disciplines that he will have to respect

It is also through punishment that you will be able to establish your authority. It is through the rebuke that you will help him understand that you are the master. If you don’t punish him, not only will he do what he wants, but he won’t respect you. You will have great difficulty in making yourself obeyed later.

When to punish your dog?

You will understand, you have to punish your dog. But be careful, you don’t have to do this all the time either. Just as important as the punishment itself is when the punishment is going to be inflicted.

The best time to punish your dog is therefore when he commits the wrongdoing. You should know that the dog is living in the present moment. If you catch him doing something stupid, the correction should be immediate. Thus, he will understand that this is the action he is accused of, and that he will not have to do it again.

Therefore, postponing a punishment because you are in a hurry, for example, is strictly not recommended. Because your dog will not understand that you are punishing him for the stupidity of this morning. He will believe that he is being punished for what he is doing.

How to punish your dog?

So it’s a fact, you must punish your dog immediately, but be careful, but either way. Just like the timing, the method chosen is as important as the punishment itself. If you don’t do it right, your pet will have suffered for nothing. Worse, he can suffer trauma if the punishment is inconsistent or disproportionate.

Punishing your dog: what not to do

Never inflict physical correction. Banish all ideas of violence and aggression. If you hit him, he’ll just be afraid of you and lose all confidence in you. You will then destroy any chance of having a fulfilling relationship with him. There are, moreover, other much more effective solutions: ignorance, frustration, reprimand, etc.

Never let something go wrong. Always remember that any change in your behavior can find your dog and affect his upbringing. If you punished him for one thing, punish him every time he does it again, as many times as needed. If you forbade him to get on your bed, and punished him for it, make no exceptions because it’s Saturday or because you left him alone all night. This will confuse him. So stand firm and if he recommends stupidity, punish him systematically.

Do not punish beyond 30 minutes.

Although some studies have contradicted it, many experts suggest that dogs have a short memory. That is why, you must punish him at the time of the mischief, but also for a limited period of time. To be effective in this way, the penalty must also not be extended for more than 30 minutes. Beyond that, the dog will not remember why he is being punished.

Punishing your dog: the right method

Apply a custom punishment for each mischief. It can be overwhelming at first, but you will find that over time you and your dog will get used to it. The idea is to make every nonsense correspond to a specific reprimand. The point is, if you tell him the same thing all the time no matter what he’s doing, he’s going to get lost. On the other hand, if you “no” for a particular stupidity, “lying” for another, “not touch” for another, he will know exactly what you expect of him and will comply more quickly.

Stand firm. A punished dog will not necessarily be happy, and much less happy. He will certainly be sad, and you will naturally be tempted to change your mind and go and hug him, especially if he is a puppy. But know that by doing this, you will undo any efforts you put into punishing him. Your pet needs to understand authority and discipline. If you crack and flex, you will never be able to instill these two basic concepts in him.

Plan a reward.

To be effective, any reprimand, sanction and punishment must necessarily be associated with a reward. Your animal must not assimilate you to something negative. It is up to you to make him understand that if he obeys, he will be rewarded for his effort. Basically, to educate him well, you have to follow the following pattern: if he does something wrong, you punish him. If he tries to start over and disobeyed when you berated him, you punish him. If he tries to recommend and obeys your command, you reward him.